Merkel’s party rejects full overhaul of German coalition as SPD elects left-leaning leaders

The leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party has rejected a radical renegotiation of the agreement underpinning Germany’s governing coalition after its junior partner elected left-leaning leaders who want new concessions, AP reports.

The leader of Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, said on Monday that the new leadership doesn’t amount to a major change “as a result of which we have to completely renegotiate a coalition.”

Members of the center-left Social Democrats on Saturday chose Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken as their new leaders, rejecting a rival duo that included Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz and strongly favored staying in Merkel’s coalition.

Walter-Borjans and Esken want to revisit issues such as the minimum wage, climate protection and investment.